If you thought the Pentagon was a fortress of stability, think again. Lt. Gen. Joe McGee, a three-star general who was basically steering the U.S. military’s long-term strategy (that’s not a small gig), just called it quits. The official story from Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell was your usual drivel: “We’re grateful for his service.” Sure you are, Sean. But here’s what really happened: McGee didn’t exactly build a career on kissing the golden ring of Matt Gaetz’s favorite Trump appointee, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Throw Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Dan Caine into the chemical mix, and — surprise! — things blew up. According to The Hill and good ol’ CNN (who apparently know how to use the red phone), McGee and Hegseth tangled over a slew of issues, like Trump-style “sink the boats near Venezuela” stunts and the ever-complex Russia-Ukraine mess.

Let’s get real: This isn’t just about a guy retiring after decades of service. This is yet another example of the Trump administration’s “break it, then blame the experts” approach to public institutions. McGee refused to rubber-stamp decisions — like moving 10,000 troops and a nuclear submarine to the Caribbean to play “Whac-A-Mole” with supposed drug smugglers and antagonize Venezuela — that were clearly more about headlines than national security. Also, McGee isn’t exactly alone out in the cold. He’s just the latest in a conga line of experienced, high-level military officials shown the door or shuffled into obscure corners of the Pentagon since Trump’s BFF Hegseth took command. More than a dozen have gotten the boot or “found other interests.” I’m sure they all just wanted “more time with their families.”

Remember Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the Navy’s first female chief of naval operations? She got tossed. The heads of the NSA, Defense Intelligence Agency, and basically half the Pentagon’s legal team are gone. Don’t forget Southcom boss Adm. Alvin Holsey, another high-profile retiree, who apparently didn’t play well with the current regime either. This isn’t “draining the swamp,” it’s bulldozing the only people with a clue, all in the name of loyalty to King Don. Every time an expert gets replaced with a stooge or an empty suit, you wonder: What’s left at the table beside watered-down coffee and paranoia?

When decorated generals like Joe McGee bail early, that’s not just gossip material for Beltway insiders. It’s a flashing neon sign that institutional expertise is being burned down for political points. With every shakeup, the U.S. military grows less rational and more like a reality show, which—let’s face it—is exactly the kind of show this administration wants. All while the world gets riskier: weapons stacking up in Eastern Europe, unpredictable escalations with Venezuela, and the Pentagon’s top minds getting replaced by yes-men who couldn’t tell a strategy from a cheeseburger. Good luck to the rest of us, right?

So, what’s the aftertaste of this whole mess? Joe McGee leaves behind a Pentagon that’s rapidly losing its smartest, most principled professionals — not because they lost their edge, but because being “loyal” to Trump and his inner circle is now the only résumé box that matters. Sleep tight, America. We’re on cruise control and it’s straight into the storm.